


baby steps

by sleeponrooftops



Series: lifeboats [3]
Category: The Almighty Johnsons
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-08
Updated: 2013-04-08
Packaged: 2017-12-07 21:48:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/753459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeponrooftops/pseuds/sleeponrooftops
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anders learns to walk, and Mike worries about him being alone when he starts kindergarten.</p>
            </blockquote>





	baby steps

“Okay,” Mike says, setting Anders down on his little, bare feet and holding him under the arms.  Anders looks up at him with wide blue eyes, and Mike slowly lets go of him, saying, “Grandpa said I could walk when I was one, and you turned one a few months ago, so you should be able to walk.”  Anders blinks at him, and Mike just shrugs and takes a few steps back when he’s sure his brother won’t topple over.  “C’mon, Anders,” he coos once he’s stopped, clapping his hands together.

 

Anders stares at him, brow furrowed a little, before he makes a little noise and takes a first step forward.  Mike holds his breath, watching him, and Anders lower lip wobbles as he stays like that.  Mike jumps in immediately, “No crying.  You have to be a big boy now.  C’mon, I know you can do it.”  Anders moves forward another step, and Mike lets out a little laugh, extending his arms and wiggling his hands.  Anders makes a happy noise and staggers forward until he stumbles and crashes to his knees, and Mike hurries forward, scooping his little brother up in his arms.  Anders is still tiny, and he holds him against his hip, brushing his blonde curls away from his face.  “You’re okay,” he promises, walking back over to his starting point, “Let’s try again.”

 

He puts Anders down, kisses him on the forehead, and walks away again, kneeling this time and holding out his arms.  It takes them nearly ten minutes before Anders manages to make it all the way to Mike, who bursts out laughing when Anders grabs onto his arms and beams up at him.  “You did it!” he exclaims, hugging Anders to him.  “Okay, let’s try again,” he says after a moment, and, instead of carrying Anders back, he holds his hand and helps him walk back to his starting point.  They spend the rest of the day walking around the room until Anders gets tired, and he starts to whine, so Mike carefully picks him up and carries him from the room, smiling when Anders tucks his head into Mike’s neck, his breath puffing out against his skin.

 

When he gets to the stairs, he stands close to the railing and holds onto Anders tightly, walking slowly down the stairs like grandpa showed him how to.  They eventually get into the kitchen, and Mike sets Anders up in his high chair before going over to the fridge where his parents have left everything that he and Anders eat on the lower shelves so Mike can make lunch for them.  He gets Anders lunch first, handing him a spoon for the mushy food as he says, “Don’t throw it around.  You can have Cheerios if you’re good.”  He doesn’t think Anders can really understand him, but his brother doesn’t mess with his food, and Mike gets him Cheerios after he’s made a sandwich for himself, dumping a small amount on the tray before climbing up into his own chair.

 

Sometimes, they’re not alone.  Sometimes, his mother stays home instead of wandering through the forest or going out with her friends or sleeping the day away.  Sometimes, grandpa comes by to visit when the waves aren’t good.  Mostly, though, Mike and Anders are alone most of the day, Mike taking care of his brother as best as he can.  His mother has even moved everything to his level, and, though he hates the smell of dirty diapers, he takes care of that, too.

 

When August is coming to an end, though, he asks his mum about school because he heard some boys talking about it, and she argues with her husband for hours before they finally settle on a nanny that will come by to take Mike to school and watch Anders until school is over.

 

The first day, Mike’s teacher talks about how important school is, and he listens intently, but all he can think about is his baby brother at home without him, and he worries so much that he feels sick by the time school is finally let out, and he runs through the front doors ahead of his class, desperately scanning the schoolyard for the nanny.  He finds her and sprints over, and Anders start clapping his hands together and shouting Mike’s name, and it makes all his worry disappear until the nanny is laughing and setting Anders on the ground.  He wobbles forward until Mike gets to him, and he pulls Anders into a tight hug, closing his eyes.  “I missed you,” he whispers, and Anders just chants his name.

 

His first week is so terrible that his teacher asks him to go down to the guidance counselor on Friday, and he sits nervously in her office, worrying about if Anders got his after lunch nap.  “How are you liking school so far, Mike?” the counselor asks, and he shrugs, fidgeting in his seat.

 

“It’s okay,” he says softly, “I miss my brother.”

 

“How old is your brother?”

 

“Anders is only one, but he’s pretty cool.  He learned how to walk this summer, and grandpa says he’s going to be able to talk for real soon.”

 

“Do you spend a lot of time with him?”

 

“Every day,” Mike says, shrugging again, “He’s my best mate.”

 

The counselor smiles sadly and lets him go back to class, but, when his mum sits them down for dinner that night, his father is home, and he’s barely started eating when he starts yelling, and Mike drops his fork on accident.  “Pick that up!” his father screams, and Mike scrambles off his chair, grabbing his fork on the ground.  When he’s seated again, he looks over at Anders, who looks on the verge of tears, and Mike shakes his head at him as his father continues, yelling at him about embarrassing their family at school and how he needs to grow up and learn at school instead of thinking about Anders all the time.

 

He storms from the kitchen when he’s done, and his mum just sighs and sits back in her seat, eyes closed.  Mike is quiet for a few minutes before he whispers to his brother, “Eat.”

 

“Mike,” Anders says in a wobbly voice, and Mike inhales slowly, composing himself, before he looks over with a smile and nods.  After a moment, Anders smiles, too, and starts eating his dinner, and so Mike forces himself to do the same.

 

After dinner, he leaves Anders in the kitchen with his mum, ignoring him when Anders calls his name, and he goes inside his room, shuts off the light, and gets into bed, holding teddy tight to him.  After a little while, his mum comes to put Anders to bed, switching the nightlight on as she leaves, but, as soon as she’s gone, Anders pulls himself to his feet and says Mike’s name until his older brother sighs and gets out of bed, going over to him.  Anders smiles shakily at him when Mike stops in front of his crib, and Mike just curls his hands over Anders’ tiny ones where they are on the bars and leans his head against the crib.  “Mike,” Anders says softly, and Mike squeezes his hands.

 

“I’m okay,” he mumbles, and he stays there for a little bit before he stands up on his tiptoes, kisses Anders on the temple, and says, “Go to sleep.”

 

“Mike!” Anders cries before plopping down on his behind.  He squirms around until he’s lying down, and Mike reaches into the crib, pulling his blanket over him and handing him his teddy.  Anders clutches it tightly to him and watches Mike walk away over to his own bed with his own teddy.  He doesn’t go to sleep until Anders does.


End file.
